Free video team cost calculator

What does your video team really cost?

Compare an in-house editor, freelancers and an agency, including the costs most people forget: your time, revisions and turnover.

Long-form videos a monthYouTube videos, webinars, demos (5-20 min)Short clips a monthShorts, Reels, TikToks, ads under 90 sWhat an hour of your time is worth$/hrOur default. Use your own number.

Adjust the assumptions (salary, rates, hours, turnover)

In-house editor

Editor salary per year$BLS median, film and video editors, May 2025: bls.govBenefits and payroll taxes%Share of employer cost, BLS, June 2026: bls.govSoftware and gear per editor$/moOur assumptionEditing hours per long videoOur assumptionEditing hours per short clipOur assumptionProductive hours per editor a monthOf 173 paid hours. Our assumption.Cost to hire one editor$SHRM average cost per hire: shrm.orgYears an editor staysBLS median tenure, ages 25-34, Jan 2026: bls.govWeeks to get a new editor up to speedAt half speed. Our assumption.Your hours managing each editor a monthOur assumption

Freelancers

Price per long video$Upwork: $500-$1,500 for one edited 10-20 min YouTube video: upwork.comPrice per short clip$Upwork: $200-$600 for 3-5 clipsExtra for revisions and fixes%Our assumptionYour hours per long video (brief, review, chase)Our assumptionYour hours per short clipOur assumptionFreelancers you replace per yearOur assumptionYour hours to find and test a new oneOur assumption

Managed agency

Price per long video$Derived from published 2026 retainers ($5,000/mo for 2 long + 8-10 shorts up to $16,000/mo for 8 + 30-40)Price per short clip$Same sourceMonthly minimum$/moTypical entry retainerYour hours a month (reviews, one call)Our assumption

Free, no AI. Your three totals and the full breakdown show after you enter your email. Change any number and they update.

Sources

Editor salary: BLS Occupational Outlook, film and video editors, median $75,420 (May 2025). bls.gov
Benefits: 30.0% of private-industry employer compensation cost, BLS, June 2026. bls.gov
Turnover: median job tenure 3.0 years for workers aged 25 to 34, BLS, January 2026. bls.gov Cost per hire about $4,700, SHRM. shrm.org
Freelancer rates: Upwork, one edited 10-20 minute YouTube video $500-$1,500, 3-5 short clips $200-$600 (read Oct 25, 2026). upwork.com
Agency: published managed-retainer price pages, Oct 2026 (from $5,000 a month for 2 long videos + 8-10 shorts). Other numbers are our assumptions; change them above.

What we’d do for you

One team for every video, one monthly fee

We plan, edit and deliver your long-form videos, Shorts and ads with one team on one monthly retainer. You review the work; hiring, managing and replacing editors is our job, not yours.

Our video programs typically run $5,000-$40,000 a month.

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